Remains found in year-long search for missing family whose boat capsized off Alaska

A missing boat was found along with human remains in 180 feet of water in Kachemak Bay near Homer

Almost nine months after the U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for a Texas family of four whose boat capsized off the coast of south-central Alaska, officials announced their vessel and human remains have been recovered.

The discovery was made possible after three private Alaskan companies volunteered their services in April, including the use of sonar equipment for underwater searches, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Public Safety on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, they found the missing boat along with human remains in 180 feet of water in Kachemak Bay near Homer, 220 miles southwest of Anchorage, the department said.

Volunteers from Alaska Dive Search, Rescue, and Recovery Team and Alaska Wildlife Troopers were then able to recover three sets of remains from the sunken vessel during dives on Tuesday and Wednesday.

David Maynard, 42, Mary Maynard, 37, Colton Maynard, 11, and Brantley Maynard, 8, were reported missing (GoFundMe)

The remains have been taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office to perform autopsies and identify them, according to the public safety department. It did not say how long identifying the remains would take.

The missing family from Troy, Texas, includes David Maynard, 42, and Mary Maynard, 37, along with sons Colton, 11, and Brantley, 8, according to the statement.

Next of kin have been notified as volunteer search teams continue to recover a fourth set of human remains, troopers said.

Alaska State Representative Brad Buckley expressed both grief and relief over the discovery, stating that “while it does not make the loss of the Maynard family any easier to bear, there is relief in knowing that they will be able to be laid to rest in a meaningful way.”

Mapped: Kachemak Bay

The search for the family was launched after reports that a 28-foot aluminum boat carrying eight people had begun taking on water on August 3, 2024, about 16 miles west of the Homer Spit, the U.S. Coast Guard said at the time.

Other ships in the area were notified of the situation, and a boat nearby rescued four people.

The Coast Guard scoured Kachemak Bay and Alaska search and rescue crews tried to use sonar equipment to find the family, according to the state's public safety department.

They were not successful and, by the next evening, the search was suspended “pending the development of new information.”

Kachemak Bay (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

In October, several months after the Maynards disappeared, an Alaska jury reportedly declared the family of four dead.

Days after the disappearance, a GoFundMe was launched on August 6, 2024, with the family expressing hope of bringing their loved ones home.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God,” wrote Tanashea Aviles, who organized the fundraiser, which raised more than $21,000 to support the relatives.

Christi Wells, who provided a statement on behalf of Mary Maynard's parents at the time, said the family enjoyed spending time with friends and relatives, and traveling, according to the Anchorage Daily News.

Mary Maynard was a traveling nurse and David Maynard stayed at home with the children and had a lawn care business, she said.